Tea For Two
by Linear Thoughts
Summary: Ron bonds with his goddaughter. Not nearly as schmoopy as it sounds. [Futurefic, refers to HHr] [4 of 5]
1. Genmaicha

A/N: Ron likes tea. Um, yes. Who knows where this came from. I wish I knew _why_ it came.

Genmaicha   
_A soft, sweet tea. Its low caffeine count makes it ideal for evening drinking or children._

Ron sagged in his armchair as carefully as possible, exhaustion warring with the urge to be careful.

"They told me you were sleeping through the night," he murmured to the cooing bundle in his arms. "Last time I do something like this for them, that's for sure.

He rocked the baby gently, watching as she blinked and cooed her way off to sleep. No denying it now - once your friends started having babies, you knew you were all grown up. Depressing, really. Next thing you know, he'd have to start stressing about work and losing his hair.

Still. Now it was all quiet-like, and wasn't throwing up or stinking the place out... well, now it was sleeping, it wasn't really that bad. Kind of cosy, like a tiny, breathing hot water bottle.

The kettle naturally chose this moment to finish boiling and began to shrill incessantly, jerking Ron out of his reverie and quite effectively startling Mercy out of her doze. Ron swore as he simultaneously attempted to sooth the screaming baby and get the kettle off the stove, wishing he'd figured out how to use the eclectic kettle Hermione had given him last Christmas.

  



	2. Peppermint

_Author's Note_: Oooh, reviews! ^_^ I feel so loved. Thankee kindly to Harry's Lost Twin, Becky, Daintress, me and Aria-wolfstar - those of you who write, I promise I'll have a look at your stuff ASAP.   
Neeeew chapter.

Peppermint   
_Peppermint tea is a great energiser, stimulating the brain and greatly assisting in the retention of facts._

"... and she even asked Mr Snape to bring some of the new potions books for first years so I could do things out of them." Mercy frowned, sticking her tongue out in furious concentration as she carefully poured the tea into her cup.

"Snape was at your **house**? Willingly?"

"Not really. I think Mummy bossed him into it."

Ron smiled wryly. "She'll do that," he remarked. "So what else did he do? I can't imagine he sat down for a cuppa and a chat."

"Mummy did offer him something to eat, but he said no. His mouth went all sneery and he said that she'd turned out to be exactly the sort of mother he always imagined she would be, and when I was in St Mungos from a nervous breakdown would she please tell him."

Ron snorted. "Snape's a git, and don't tell your mother I said that." He looked up from pouring his tea, and frowned. "Hey. Don't let him get to you."

Mercy didn't appear to be listening. "I don't want to go to St Mungos. I hate it there. It smells horrible."

"You're not _going_ to St Mungos. Snape thinks your mum is being too pushy and he's trying to upset her. But we don't listen to Snape, because - "

" - he is a git, and you didn't say that."

"Exactly."


	3. European Blend

_Author's Note_: Argh, I suck. It's undeniable. Sorry for the wait. Thank you to Fallen Down and Harry's Lost Twin for reviewing the last chapter - due to the long wait you (yes, all one of you reading this ^_~) get two chapters for the price of one. It's a bargain deal, really.   
Anyway.

European Blend   
_Balanced blend of Assam, Ceylon, Earl Grey and Jasmine teas. Strong and aromatic._

"It's not really her fault, you know," Mercy said, stirring her tea absently.

Ron raised his eyebrows. "Oh?" he commented mildly, pausing as he spooned sugar into his cup. "That's an unusual thing to say."

She shrugged. "They haven't been happy for years. Not really. They were never really suited for one another." She glanced up at him, gauging his reaction. "I guess I'd leave too."

Ron frowned. "Harry's always treated your mother - "

"Oh, yeah! God, what do you think? Dad's great to Mum," she snapped defensively. "It's just..."

"Just?"

"Dad needs - he needs us to be all happy families all the time, you know? He wants Mum home at five, he wants me to be perfect daughter, he wants - " she broke off, shrugging. "It doesn't work like that, that's all. People don't live like that."

"Well, you know what your dad's childhood was like." Carefully said. It mightn't be the time.

"I know." Her voice was small and barely audible and she didn't meet his eyes. "Viktor's not so bad."

Her spoon clinking against the china filled the silence, until he stilled her hand gently.


	4. China Rose

China Rose   
_Black China tea with natural rose aroma - a lover's gift._

"It's gross!" She wrinkled her nose and sipped delicately from her cup, making a slight face at the amount of sugar she'd poured in.

"What, blokes my age aren't allowed to date now?" Ron asked, half jokingly. She waved her hand dismissively.

"No, I mean, they're allowed to _date_," she said impatiently, "but this is completely different! How am I supposed to face her on Monday? 'Oh, hi Professor, long time no see, except for the weekend when you were shoving your tongue down my father's throat'?"

Ron snorted with laughter. "He wanted to get you comfortable with them as a couple," he said, seriously as he can manage it. "So it wouldn't disturb you too much. Familiar setting, familiar people..."

"If he's trying to acclimatise me to his new girlfriend they should probably _be_ here. They went to the bathroom twelve minutes ago. I mightn't be Mum, but I'm not stupid."

"He's excited too, you know. He had a crush on her in school, but it never really worked out."

"They went out in school?"

"Once. Bit of a disaster, to tell the truth. They came here, actually. 'Course, it was more of a couples place back then."

Mercy gagged dramatically. "Oh, puke. He's trying to be family man, best friend guy and Mr Romance all at the same time. This is so embarrassing!"


End file.
